Contest –Octopus Game

New to SAINTCON? Octopus Game is your guided quest through the conference. Play through challenges, explore communities, and meet fellow adventurers. It is the easiest and most fun way to dive in.

Welcome, Initiate. The Order of the White Tentacle has long worked in silence to keep balance as the world shifts. But now a new name drifts through shadowed corners: the Red Tentacle. Their whispers claim peace is an illusion, that tradition has been lost, that machines drown out the spirits. Some call them visionaries. Others see only the hand of control. Whatever the truth, their presence stirs unease—and it is into this moment that you now step.

Octopus Game is your quest to explore SAINTCON itself. Along the way you will solve puzzles, uncover hidden challenges, and discover the communities that make the conference thrive. You will meet people and learn the paths of the Order while making the most of your SAINTCON experience. Begin your adventure at the Octopus Game booth, where your first puzzles await.

Where Is It

You’ll find us on the 3rd floor, next to Hackers Challenge Game.

How to Play

Joining Octopus Game is simple:

Step 1: Sign up.
Fill out the registration form.

Step 2: Check in.
Visit the Octopus Game booth at SAINTCON to confirm your entry and meet the White Tentacle team.

Step 3: Begin your journey.
Start with your first quest: solve the scroll, uncover the clue, and follow it to a SAINTCON community.

Step 4: Explore and connect. Visit the community, ask questions, and snap a photo at their sign to prove your discovery.

Step 5: Return to HQ. Report back to the booth with your photo and share what you’ve learned to earn your points.

You can play solo or with friends. Each quest you complete earns you points—and brings you closer to prizes.

Your Adventure Starts Here

What to Bring

Camera/Phone – Required for photos at community signs.

Something to Take Notes – A small notebook, or just use your phone. You’ll want to track clues and codes.

Optional: A Laptop – Not required, but can make decoding and research a bit easier.

Curiosity – Your most valuable tool.

Above all, bring a willingness to explore, ask questions, and dive into the mystery.

Important Times

October 21 – 22

10:30AM – 6:00PM
Contest Open
Check-in/Registration Opens
(All Day)

October 23

10:30AM – 12:00PM
Last chance to start and possibly complete

October 24

8:00AM – 10:00AM
Last chance to submit points

11:00AM – 11:30
Prize Give Away (Must be Present)

Contest Rules

Check-In

You must check in at the Octopus Game booth before beginning play.

Quest Materials

Contest materials (beyond your initial scroll) will only be provided once you have fully completed and submitted your first quest.

Days 1–3 – Quest Challenges

Complete up to 12 unique quests. Each begins with a puzzle, ends with an adventure, and rewards curiosity.
Each quest follows this structure:
- Stage One: Decode the Scroll – Solve the embedded puzzle to uncover a cryptic phrase. The phrase will subtly point you toward a specific SAINTCON community. (Required: no other points for the quest will count until this is solved.)
  - Points = 30
- Stage Two: Visit the Community – Travel to the corresponding community, engage, and learn something meaningful.
  - Take a photo at the community sign (required for full points).
  - Points = 60
- Stage Two Bonus: Ask a community volunteer to join you in the photo.
  - Points = 10
- Stage Three: Report to HQ – Return with your photo and be ready to share what you learned.

Day 4 – Final

Last chance to submit points is Oct 24 10:30AM – 1:30PM. Scores will then be finalized.
You must be present to claim prizes.
Prizes are awarded in order of final score: 1st place chooses first, 2nd place second, and so on until prizes run out.

Infiltrator Side Quest (Optional)

Your Mission

Uncover the infiltrators—if you dare.
Not all scrolls are genuine. Some are forged, hiding villain names between the lines. The false is never flawless.

How to Play

Decode the Scrolls – Some will point you toward communities. Others carry quiet clues—repeated names, strange turns of phrase—that reveal an infiltrator’s identity.
Identify the Name – When you believe you’ve discovered an infiltrator’s name, seek out an OG crew member wearing the Red Tentacle badge.
Speak the Name Aloud – If correct, you’ve found your mark.
Prove Your Worth – An infiltrator may test you before granting their sticker. Earn it.

Points